Device for and method of securing carpet ends



March 23, 1954 R. c. FlNcH 2,673,169

OF' SECURING CARPET ENDS Filed Nov. 20, 1951 DEVICE FOR AND METHODJNVENTOR. Rclgmond C. F1 nch f4 EY Patented Mar. 23, 1954 anales DEVICEFOR AND METHOD OF SECURING CARPET ENDS Raymond C. Finch, Astoria, Oreg.Application November 20, 1951, Serial No. 257,338

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a method for joining sections of carpeting orother floor covering material without resorting to the use of adhesives,nailing, or sewing such as hitherto have been considered necessary. Thescope of the inventive concept also includes a companion joining devicewhich may be used either per se or in conjunction with the method tojoin such sections securely and in a concealed manner. Moreparticularly, the novel joining device is a unitary collapsible archhaving angularly disposed gripping elements which are caused topenetrate the abutting sections of iloor covering prior to collapse ofthe arch. Accordingly, after collapse, the close abutment of the sectionedges prevents relative displacement or movement in one rection whereasthe angular grip elements p-re vent any opposite or parting movement,the resultant article being an apparently seamless, tegral carpeting, orlicor covering capable oi withstanding long and hard usage.

One object of my invention is to provide a collapsible or deformablearch for joining sections of iloor covering, such, an arch to havedivergent flat wings carrying correlated pointed grip elements arrangedat an acute angle to the planes of the respective wings so as to lieconvergent, toward one another, after the arch is collapsed or deformed.Thus, the advantages of a secure and substantially seam free joinder,such as flow from the use ci a hammered or turned down grip element, areattained without requiring those working, turning, and hainmeringoperations which must taire place, conventionally, from the exposed sideof the floor covering. In summary, this deformable arch allows the doorcovering to be laid out in a room for matching and room fitting.Thereafter it is joined in accordance with my invention. Thereafter,said joined carpeting may be stretched in a lateral direction, and evento be tted about pillars, radiators and other obstructions.

Referring now to strip carpeting, by which term I mean to include anysectional fabric floor covering and to which material the method of thisinvention most particularly is directed, several diierent joiningtechniques are in common use. The best known of these is a factory orWork shop operation which` includes an assembly followed by a hand ormachine sewing operation. in a work room. Another may be described as anon the job sewing operation or a one man carpet layer operation. Withthe latter, sequentially, the sections of carpeting are laid, thepattern if any is matched, the carpet layer stretches the sectionslaterally with a butt tool, the abutting edges then are lifted andmarked by hand with chalk on the under side to identify the pattern orlateral position, the sections are turned and sewed in accord with themarks, and the unitary carpeting then is re-turned and laid. Both ofthese techniques or methods, in comparison with my new method, are highin labor cost, slow in execution, inaccurate in pattern matching anddemanding of an excessive handling of the heavy carpeting. Further, acarpet layer is skilled artisan Whose services not always are availablein remote areas and whose wage scale, when available, is high.

'lwo other techniques, however, also are common. These are illustrated,respectively, by the United States Patents to Chance No. 1,842,746 andReinhard No. 2,552,114. With the former, adhesive joining tape isutilized and, with the latter, joining tape, a latex adhesive, and aplurality of metallic gripper elements all are utilined, concurrently.Both of these techniques, however, possess the dual disadvantages whichllow from the use of an adhesive which must set or dry before the carpetis used and from the use of a gripping means which requires a precise,delicate application and a careful handling with no excessivelongitudinal stretching or tensioning until the seams are set. Further,many of these prior methods tend to hump the carpet or to produce aridge or raised portion, integral with the carpet, under the seam, This,of course, causes uneven wear and a bulky appearance both of which areavoided in the practice of my method and in the use of my device.

Having in mind the above disadvantages, one object of my invention is toprovide an improved method for joined sections of carpet, which methodwill eliminate or alleviate the disadvantages above notcd and will allowa semi-skilled Workman or even a householder eiiiciently to join and laysectional carpeting'. In outline, this method calls for the provision ofa thin deformable arch having a plurality of grip elements which lie atan acute angle to the legs` of the arch. Thereafter, two adjoiningsections of carpeting are tensioned or stretched laterally to secure agood fit, the carpet sections are raised and positioned over the arch`and the margins are abutted over the apex of the arch, the sections arepressed down so the grip elements penetrate the backing and the arch iscollapsed or flattened while secured to the carpet sections. The'latterstep, in result, overt-urns or tilts the grip elements toward oneanother to resist parting and pulls the carpet sections into compressiveabutment over the entire height of the margms. matching and markingoperation has been eliminated and because the precise niceness of a handsewing or whip stitching operation has been deleted, the services of askilled carpet layer arey not essential to practice my novel method.This advantage alone is of considerable importance cost-wise.

In combination with two abutting elongated lengths of carpeting, it isanother object of my invention to provide a thin flat piece which willunderlie the joint or seam and will carry a plurality of sharp gripelements which penetrate the carpeting and which point generally towardthe joint at an acute angle. Additionally, this fiat piece may bepierced by a plurality of lateral tension slits which prevent humping orbuckling of the piece and, in any event, no adhesive or sewing need beemployed to supplement the nat joinderpiece. Here again, the cost of thethin flat piece is competitive in comparison to those devices previouslyemployed.V

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a device for joiningsections of floor covering wherein a number -of spaced rows of pointedgrip elements are provided with the elements in one row staggered wv'threspect to those in the next row so the largest possible area isgripped, yet the least possible hump or bulge is created .across thejoined sections in the iinished product. In fact, said device reinforcesthe floor covering joint, protects it, and holds the abutting sectionsstraight and aligned with each other.

These and other desirable objects and advantages inherent in andencompassed by my invention will become apparent from the -ensuingdescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible arch-for joiningadjacent lengths oi floor covering, thisl view more particularlyindicating the disposition of the lateral tensic-n'slits which pierceeach wing of the arch intermediate the rows of grip elements;

Fig. 2 also is a perspective view showing two adjacent sections ofcarpeting or fabric floor covering as they appear when lifted over theapex of the arch, the arrows in this figure indicating the stretch orlateral tension which may be imparted to the sections prior to the timethey are lifted;

Figs, 3 and 4 are related sequential cross section views, the smallarrows in Fig. 3 indicating the light pressing force used to press thecarpeting sections down over the gripV elements and the large arrow inFig. 4 indicating the greater force which flattens the deformable arch,Fig. 4 showing the arch partially deformed; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the carpet sections after they arejoined, the dashed line indicating the approximate location of the seamwhich, in reality, is invisible to the eye and the small arrowsindicating the longitudinal tension which immediately may be applied tothe joined carpeting in order to cover a oor or the like in conventionalmanner.

As best disclosed in Fig. l, I provide a deform- .able or collapsiblearch B having divergent legs or wings l and 8 which intersect along anapex .line 9. This arch preferably is formed from a unitary sheet ofmaterial such as galvanized iron or steel or from aluminum and the wingsI and Thus, because the exactness of a patternV will collapse if Vtheangle subtended thereby, at the apex, is an obtuse angle. Materials oithe type mentioned are preferable since they do not oxidize, discolorthe engaged portions of the rug, or otherwise chemically react with thebacking of a pile carpeting or with other fabric door covering material.

Preferably, each of the wings 1 and 8 is a substantially plane surfacefrom which is punched and above which protrude a plurality of sharppointed grip elements li). These grip elements l0 may be triangular andslightly curved as shown, but, in any event, it is an important featureof my invention that these elements do not protrude at a right angle tothe plane of the respective Wings but, rather, protrude at an acuteangle to the respective wings. The reason for this acute angledisposition will be made clear, hereinafter, with respect to Fig. 5.

Returning torFig. l, the grip elements l are `arranged in parallellongitudinal rows along the length of the wings 1 and 8. The gripelements in one row, however, are staggered with respect to these in theadjacent row. Accordingly, the elements in the lower row along the wing8 are staggered with respect to those in the upper row along the wing 8and these latter, in turn, are staggered with respect to these along theupper rowof the wing I. This staggered disposition and the plurality ofgrip elements thereby provided gives a coverage of the largest possi-blekarea with the most uniform possible disposition. Further, each of thewings 1 and 8 is pierced by a pluralityY of lateral tension slits Ilwhich also are staggered on the respective wings. In function, theseslits serve to break the longitudinal dimension of the arch intosegments or pieces of smaller effective length so that collapse ordeformation of the arch more readily is accomplished. Similarly, oncethe arch has been collapsed, the tension slits H aid in resisting anytendency of the arch humped or arched shape.

In my inventive method for joining sections of carpeting or other oorcovering material without resorting to the use of adhesives, hammeringor sewing, Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive are pertinent. In these gures, Ihaveshown two sections, l2 and i3, of abric floor covering such as threequarter or broadloom carpeting. While the ma.- terial of these sectionsis of particular relevance to the method now to be disclosed, it is tobe noted that the use of the joining device of Fig. l is not limited touse with such material, the selected width of material being merelyillustrative. Further, while I have shown no gured, flowered, or otherpattern design on the carpeting sections of Figs. 2 to 5, this method,with similar sequential steps, is efficient in joining such iigured orpatterned sections. Thus, the conventional on the job carpet layer rststretches the sections of rugs laterally and matches the pattern.Thereafter, he lifts the abutting edges and carefully marks, with chalk,the abutting under sides or backs to retain a reference point whensewing the abutting sections together. With my method, this marking andthe subsequent turning, sewing, and re-turning are not required.

To this end, ing I4 upon which the carpet sections IZ and I3 rest withthe respective backs l5 and `It in contact therewith. As a rst step andventional in the carpet laying art, the and I3 are positioned in a roomor hall with the 8 more readily to return to its initial I have shown anunderlay or ooras is consections l2 erally up at an acute angle to theplane of the flattened arch.

4:. The method of joining elongated sections of fabric floor covering,comprising; abutting the adjacent edges of the respective sections ofcovering, stretching the sections in a longitudinal direction to smooththe carpeting, providing an elongated deformable arch having two wingswhich meet at an apex, each of said wings carrying a plurality ofprotruding grip elements lying at an acute angle to the plane of therespective wing, liiting said abutting, tensioned edges and insertingsaid arch thereunder with the apex of the arch arranged under the edgesoi the carpeting, uniting the respective edges with the elements so thelatter securely are joined to the respective edges, and, thereafter,flattening the deformable arch to draw the adjacent edges of thesections of covering into tight and lull abutment.

5. The method ci seaining elongated sections of fabric floor coveringwithout sewing or utiliz.- ing adhesives, comprising; abutting adjacentedges of the respective sections of covering with the pattern, if any,matching across the line of abutment, stretching the sections in alongitudinal direction parallel said abutting ed es to tension andsmooth the carpeting, providing an elongated deformable arch having twowhich meet at an apex, each of said wings carrying a plurality ofsharply pointed protruding grip elements lying at an acute angle to theplane of the respective wing, lifting said abutting, tensioned edges,and inserting said arch thereunder with the apex of the arch arrangedunder parallel the edges of the carpeting, pressing respective edgesdown over the pointed grip elements so the latter penetrate the backs ofrespective edges, and, thereafter, clown upon and collapsing thedeformable arch to make the sections lie flat in complete marginalabutment with the seam line hidden.

6. The method of joining and attaching to a floor or the like elongatedsections of fabric floor covering, comprising; of the respectivesections of covering, stretching the sections in longitudinal directionto smooth the carpeting, providing an elongated deformable arch havingtivo wings which moet at an apex and bound an obtuse angle, each of saidcarrying a plurality of protruding grip elements lying at an acute angleto the plane oi the respective wing liting said abutting, tensionededges and inserting said arch thereunder with the apex oi' the archarranged under the edges of the carpeting, attaching the sections to thearch by pressing the respective edges down over the grip elements so thelatter penetrate the backs or the respective edges and the lower marginsof the edges contact one another in abutment, flattening the deformablearch to draw the adjacent edges of the sections of covering into tightand full abutment with the respective groups of grip elements pointedgenerally at the same acute angle to the plane of the respective Wings,and, thereafter, securing the joined covering to a floor or the like inthe conventional manner of Securing an integral one piece covering.

7. A device for joining adjacent sections of noor covering insubstantially seamless abutabutting the adjacent edges l formed integralwith each ment, comprising a collapsible arch having spaced wings whichdiverge downwardly from an apex, and a plurality of grip elementscarried by and protruding above each said wing.

3. A device for joining sections of carpeting, comprising a collapsiblearch having spaced wings which diverge downwardly from an apex, and aplurality of sharp pointed grip elements wing and protruding above theplane surface thereof at an acute angle generally facing the oppositewing.

9. A device for locking adjacent sections of door covering insubstantially seamless abutment without employing adhesives or pricingan elongated sewing, comdeformable arch formed from a unitary thin sheetof material, said arch having two downwardly divergent Wings whichdefine substantially plane surfaces intersecting along an apex line, aplurality of grip elements carried by and protruding above each saidwing to engage the correspondplurality and hold the edge of of lateraltension slits piercing each wing intermediate the grip elements carriedthereby.

10. A device for joining adjacent sections of fabric floor covering insubstantially seamless abutment, comprising an elongated deformable archformed from a unitary rial, said arch having bound an thin sheet ofmatetwo divergent wings which obtuse angle and meet along a longitudinalapex line, a plurality of sharp pointed erro and elements formedintegral with each wing protruding above the plane surface thereof atacute angle facing generally in the direction or the opposite Wing, saidgrip elements being arranged in spaced.

longitudinal rows parallel said apex line with the elements in one given.rowstaggered with respect to those in the next adjacent row, and aplurality of lateral tension slits piercing each Wing intermediate therows of grip elements carried thereby.

11. In combination with two elongated sections of backed carpetingarranged in edge to edge abutment,

piece a thin and substantially flat metallic underlying the jointbetween said sections and having a plane and under the edge of eachsection,

wing portion extending back a plurality of protruding sharp pointed gripelements formed integral w ith each wing and extending thereabove inpenetration of the back only of the corresponding carpet section, lyingat an acute angle each grip element to the plane of the correspendingwing and being arranged to point generally toward said joint,

said grip elements being arranged in spaced parallel rows with theindividual elements in a given row staggered with respect to those wingsbeing pierced in the next adjacent row, said by a plurality of staggeredlateral tension slits.

RAYL'OHD C. FINCH.

References Cited in the file of thispatent, UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberNumber Australia Oct. 20, 1926

11. IN COMBINATION WITH TWO ELONGATED SECTIONS OF BACKED CARPETINGARRANGED IN EDGE TO EDGE ABUTMENT, A THIN AND SUBSTANTIALLY FLATMETALLIC PIECE UNDERLYING THE JOINT BETWEEN SAID SECTIONS AND HAVING APLANE WING PORTION EXTENDING BACK AND UNDER THE EDGE OF EACH SECTION, APLURALITY OF PROTRUDING SHARP POINTED GRIP ELEMENTS FORMED INTEGRAL WITHEACH WING AND EXTENDING THEREABOVE IN PENETRATION OF THE BACK ONLY OFTHE CORRESPONDING CARPET SECTION, EACH GRIP ELEMENT LYING AT AN ACUTEANGLE TO THE PLANE OF THE CORRESPONDING WING AND BEING ARRANGED TO POINTGENERALLY TOWARD SAID JOINT, SAID GRIP ELEMENTS BEING ARRANGED IN SPACEDPARALLEL ROWS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS IN A GIVEN ROW STAGGERED WITHRESPECT TO THOSE IN THE NEXT ADJACENT ROW, SAID WINGS BEING PIERCED BY APLURALITY OF STAGGERED LATERAL TENSION SLITS.